Community constables need a high level of fitness just like all Police officers

Being a Community Constable isn’t all about fighting crime. It’s also about keeping the community safe, and staying on top of what’s happening in that officer’s neighbourhood.

Paperwork is a large part of a Community Constable’s job.

Community Constables work with the community to keep everyone safe They can do this by knowing what’s happening in the neighbourhood.

Community Constables can also help to sort out any disagreements people might have, educate children, help people on the street whenever they need help…as Constable Bryan says, “I just never know what’s going to happen, and that’s what makes my days so exciting”.

It means that it’s always better to make sure something bad doesn’t happen in the first place, rather than fixing it after it does. And that’s pretty much a Community Constable’s job. For instance, when on patrol, a Community Constable will look for:
- people who are parked or driving dangerously and could cause an accident -  - damaged pavements or roads that people could hurt themselves on
- or suspicious characters who look like they could be up to something.

Its really important for the Community Constable to work with the community to reduce crime, so they need to keep in touch with all the local schools, churches, maraes and other organisations to work together in keeping the neighbourhood safe.

Other police may come to the Community Constable for help if they’re looking into a crime in the community, because the Community Constable knows the community!

Facts:

There are about 175 Community Constables stationed around New Zealand

For the last five years Constable Bryan was the Community Constable for the town of Otahuhu, in Auckland. Now he is the Community Constable for some of the schools in Otahuhu

Community Constables can talk to schools, community groups even the prime minister about what is going on in their neighborhood.

New Zealand’s Community Constables are recognized throughout the world by other police forces as some of the best.

Some Community Constables from the New Zealand Police have been doing some international policing and peacekeeping missions to East Timor and the Solomon Islands.

New Zeland Police Officers have also been training the community Police in Bougainville (Solomon Islands) along with the Australian Police.